An exciting new feature as part of the 2021/22 agricultural science study guide programme is live data reports from the Irish Farmers Journal's beef and sheep demonstration farm in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Throughout the year, we will be releasing data reports from the mixed enterprise demonstration farm in Tullamore, which will be made available to students via our Schools Hub.

The data reports will follow the journey on Tullamore Farm of 10 suckler cows and seven ewes (plus their progeny).

Reports will include details on animal-specific weights, diets, target weights and body condition scores, along with grass growth reports and updates of the sustainability work being carried out on Tullamore Farm.

About Tullamore Farm

Tullamore Farm Ltd is the Irish Farmers Journal demonstration farm close to Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Farm size is 180 acres and it will carry a 90-cow suckler herd grazed alongside a 150-ewe flock.

The farm is in Brackagh, Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly – right next door to Tullamore Golf Course.

It consists of 180 acres split into three blocks of 100 acres, 60 acres and 20 acres.

Sixty percent of the land would be described as being free-draining, while the remaining 40% would be described as heavy in nature with some drainage work required.

Tullamore Farm background

  • Farm set up by Agricultural Trust in 2017 on a 15-year lease.
  • Shaun Diver is full-time farm manager.
  • Farm is paying full land rent (€140/acre) and full labour charges without BPS.
  • Farm size: 80ha.
  • Stocking rate: 2.5 LU/ha (bordering derogation, 170kg).
  • 90 suckler cows.
  • Male progeny finished as 16-month bulls.
  • Female progeny sold as in-calf heifers.
  • Mid-season lambing ewes.
  • Mule ewe (Blue-faced Leicester-cross-Blackface mountain ewe).
  • Texel/Suffolk and Charollais rams.
  • Why are we doing this?

    Because we are passionate that:

  • Efficient suckler and sheep farms have an important role in rural Ireland and in sustaining rural communities.
  • Efficient suckler and sheep farms can return a good income to farmers relative to labour input required.
  • There is scope to put more money in suckler and sheep farmers’ pockets by making systems more efficient.
  • By using new technologies, we can make the Irish Farmers Journal even better at communicating technical information to farmers.
  • Our business is dependent on farmers – this is just another way of giving something back.
  • What can we expect?

    It’s important to us that everything that happens on the farm is documented. We commit to report on what we get right and what we get wrong – though we will try to keep the latter to a minimum.

    Tullamore

    Factual reporting with mistakes and successes shared is the model we feel will give farmers the technical knowledge and confidence to make small changes to their farms and in turn become more profitable.

    Farmers will be able to follow progress on the farm in a number of ways.

  • Regular updates in print.
  • Weekly updates on www.farmersjournal.ie.
  • Regular video and photo footage on Irish Farmers Journal social media channels.
  • Annual open days and discussion group days.
  • Replacement heifer sale (27 October 2021).

  • Average replacement index of in-calf heifers €147.
  • Average replacement index of herd €130.
  • Calving interval 367 days.
  • Six-week calving rate 70%.
  • 2021 bull calves 2021 ADG: 1.34kg.
  • 2021 Heifer calves ADG: 1.16kg.
  • 2020-born bull performance

  • Housed 6 November - average weight of 343kg.
  • Started on 3kg of 16% weanling ration and ad-lib 70% DMD silage.
  • Built up to 5kg of ration by 1 January 2021.
  • Started ad-lib meal on 10 March.
  • Weighed 621kg on average, gaining 1.48kg/day over winter.
  • Current grass situation on the farm (05/09/2021)

  • AFC 1,130kg/DM/ha.
  • Cover/LU 532kg/LU.
  • Growth 72kg/DM/ha.
  • Demand 31kg/DM/ha.
  • Current LU/ha 2.12 peaked at 3.3 LU/ha.
  • Aim to start closing paddocks on 30 September.
  • 60% farm closed by 1 November.
  • Sheep move to wetter ground to close remaining 40% by 1 January.
  • Tullamore Farm sheep

    Tullamore farm Sept 2021

  • System: mid-season lambing starting around 12 March.
  • Breed type: foundation is Mule ewe crossed with Texel and Charollais rams. Texel-cross replacements retained last two seasons in line with ewe numbers increasing from 150 to 250 head. Suffolk ram joining the ram team in 2021.
  • Production focus: drive output of lamb from a grass-based system while being cognisant to the optimum level of output with regards labour availability and grass-based production. Strategic use of concentrates to finish lambs in a timely manner.
  • Lamb prices

  • 2021 lamb price: €131.46.
  • 2020 lamb price: €107.56.
  • 2021 ewe price: €117.28.
  • 2020 ewe price: €88.49.
  • Sustainability on Tullamore Farm

    Three pillars to sustainability - economic, environmental and social.

    Work in progress on Tullamore Farm

  • Improve genetics: Tullamore Farm is constantly striving to improve genetics of the herd, resulting in more efficient animal performance. Performance recording is carried out to choose the best replacements and sire performance is examined carefully.
  • Vaccination and dosing strategy: vaccination prevents illness and improves animal performance. Faecal sampling is carried out to determine dosing requirements in sheep and cattle, ensuring anthelmintics are only used when needed.
  • Bulls finished at 16 months or under: early slaughter means fewer methane emissions. Improved genetics and high-quality grass reduces the age at slaughter.
  • Maximise grass utilisation: grass utilisation is a top priority on the farm to reduce the amount of bought-in feed. Grass measuring is essential and mixed grazing between cattle and sheep allows grass to be used very efficiently.
  • Others: fencing watercourses to 1.5m, using contractors and having seasonal calving and lambing to improve labour efficiency, using LESS to improve N efficiency.
  • Carbon measurement

    By taking carbon samples continually, we will monitor changes and be prepared for a time when carbon credits can be traded. We are modelling the carbon equivalent emissions from the farm. The aim is then to reduce these emissions and increase storage over time through some of the actions outlined in this plan.

    Areas for wildlife: we have left 0.2ac for wildlife. As well as margins and space between fences and watercourses, there are plenty of wildlife corridors. Woodlands are fenced off from farm animals. We have also placed bird and bee boxes around the farm.